It's Never Too Late
by gregonator1
Summary: After a conversation with Dawn, Ash realizes why the Terracotta ribbon that he shares with May means so much to him. Dawn starts to realize her own feelings while Drew's not gonna let Ash win May's heart without a fight. Advanceshipping vs Contestshipping
1. Terracotta Ribbon

**Hello everyone, my name is gregonator1 and this is my first fanfic. I hope you like it and since this is my first fic can you please review and tell me where it could have been better. Though it's advanceshipping that won't be the only pairing for Ash or May so read if you'd like and tell me what you think.  
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><p>It was two in the morning as Ash, Brock, and Dawn were sleeping in a clearing in the woods. Brock was fast asleep dreaming about all the girls that he could have had had he not been stopped by Misty, May, and Croagunk all those times during his adventure with Ash.<p>

Dawn tossed and turned trying to get into a comfortable position in her sleeping bag but she ultimately lost the battle and woke up staring at the full moon. She looked around and saw Brock in his sleeping bag but when she turned her head she saw Ash standing up holding something in his hand as he stared into the full moon.

"Ash," she whispered as to not wake Brock up. He was in his own world so Dawn decided fight her way out of her sleeping and walked over to Ash. She quietly sneaked up on him and right as she was gonna tap him on his shoulder she was stopped by Ash's voice.

"You don't have to play ninja on me Dawn, I know you're behind me," Ash said in a hush tone.

"What are you doing up so late?" Dawn asked. Ash turned to her and Dawn instantly saw what was in his hand.

Ash gripped the half a ribbon even tighter as he started to speak, "I'm just looking at the moon, that's all."

Dawn knew that he was doing a lot more than that, "So why do you have that half a ribbon?" Dawn asked in a knowing manner.

Ash looked down and saw the half a ribbon clutched tightly in his hand.

"Whenever I have trouble sleeping or I start to doubt myself, I bring this ribbon out of my pocket and once it's in my hand all my fears leave me."

Dawn couldn't help but smile at this.

"It must really mean a lot to you, doesn't it?"

Ash let out a small chuckle. "More than you know Dawn." He continued to talk with despair in his voice." I really don't understand why though. I mean it is just a ribbon."

He knew why he felt that way. It was because of a certain Brunette coordinator that held the other half. Only thing he didn't know was what he felt.

Dawn fell anime style at Ash's response. "You don't have any idea as to why that half a ribbon helps you so much?" She couldn't believe this, she knew Ash was dense but this was too much. 'You've traveled with three girls Ash. I wonder if you'll ever get a girlfriend,' Dawn thought as she stared at Ash._  
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"Well it obviously means a lot since May and I share it," Ash replied as he tried to think of why it meant so much. "But Misty gave me her fishing rod and Gary and I both share half a pokeball and neither of those things affect me the way this half a ribbon does."

"Well, after meeting May at the Wallace Cup, it's easy to recognize what you're feeling Ash," Dawn said in a very matter of fact tone.

Ash tried to think what Dawn was talking about but thinking this hard made hit brain hurt, "And what am I feeling?" 'I hope you have an answer for me Dawn. I really don't know what im feeling. I just know that something seems to be missing but i can't tell what.'

"You obviously like May." Dawn almost yelled as Ash started to blush.

"WHAT?" Ash yelled back but quickly put his hands over his mouth, luckily Brock and Pikachu who was in Ash's sleeping bag stayed asleep. "I do not like May. Besides she likes Drew anyway."

'It's all a lie. I do like her in a way. But what can i do? She left with him without considering my feelings,' Ash thought as he tried to conceal his feelings from Dawn._  
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"See you just proved my point right now." The blunette told her raven-haired friend. "If you truly didn't like May then you wouldn't have even brought up Drew."

Ash knew he was outsmarted by Dawn's way of figuring things out so quickly. 'Why does she have to be so good at these things?' Ash thought as he gave Dawn a small smile._  
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"I never really thought of May like that," Ash replied as the blush still hadn't left his face. "Come to think about it, we are pretty similar and I would always get this strong feeling of jealousy when Drew would give her roses."

"Aww that's so sweet," Dawn smiled as she interrupted his thoughts.

"But all those times we had together and now she's with him," Ash responded as his morale started to drop. "I bet she's with Drew now and has probably forgotten all about me." He took a deep breathe as he looked down on the ground sadly trying to hide the hurt look on his face from Dawn.

"Ash," Dawn said as she grabbed Ash's shoulders to show how serious she was."I've never met this Drew guy but I seriously doubt that he cares more about May than you. You're not like most people Ash. You're pure of heart and if you don't go to Johto and tell May how you really feel then you might lose her forever."

'Wow. The way I talk about him its almost as if I have a crush on him myself. Come on Dawn snap out of it. This will never work between you two. He likes May.' Dawn thought while trying to suppress those feelings._  
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Ash thought about what Dawn had said as he continued to hold the half a ribbon, "But what if she's forgotten all about me?"

Dawn let out a grunt of anger, "Ash, no one would be able to forget you, especially if you traveled with them for over a year. I haven't even known you that long and I already feel like you've always been a part of my life. And if you want, then I can go with you."

"Would you really do that for me?"

"Of course. I already have five ribbons and the Lily of the Valley Conference isn't for a few months so you'll have plenty of time to confess your true feelings," Dawn replied as she thought about her own feelings. 'If only i can confess my own.'

Ash looked at the half a ribbon one more time until he came to a decision.

"You know what Dawn, you're right. Tomorrow we'll book our tickets to Johto and find May as quick as possible."

"See Ash I have my moments," Dawn said with a wink.

Ash walked up to Dawn and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks Dawn, you've really opened my eyes." Ash then walked over to his sleeping bag and was able to fall asleep a lot faster this time.

Dawn just stood there for a minutes as her hand touched the part where Ash had kissed. The blush had not gone away until Dawn violently shook her head. 'No I can't let my personal feelings get in the way of Ash and May. Why do you have to make it so difficult for a girl not to like you Ash Ketchum?'

"I'm such an idiot," Dawn said softly to herself as she stared at Ash. "I just talked Ash into going after May but here I am standing here as I watch the one I love slip through my hands."

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><p><strong>So tell me what you think, was it good, bad, with your reviews you can help me become not only a better author but a better advanceshipper or even maybe another ship?<br>**


	2. Pick up lines

**I am very pissed right now cause the chapter was almost done BUT IT GOT DELETED AND NOW I HAVE TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN! So this chapter might feel a little rushed and not as good cause it's hard to rewrite everything you had just done. And shorter... I hate this so much.  
>And thank you to beastmode953 for betaing my fic.<strong>

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><p>Ash stood on the deck of the ship with Pikachu on his shoulder as it sailed towards Johto. The ship had already sailed for a few days and Johto wasn't too far off. It was mid day and while most people were sunbathing Ash just stood there, looking towards where Johto was.<p>

Dawn tried her best to get Ash to go into the pool with her or help her with her battling but she could tell that his mind was in a different place.

Ash chuckled to himself as he took out the note cards with pick up lines that Brock had given him when he had told of him of his plan.

**Flashback**

"And that's why I'm going to Johto," Ash said as he finished explaining to Brock while he stood there in silence. The sound of Starly flying through the air was the only thing that filled the silence.

The trees around them gave a peaceful feeling while the sun was covered by clouds, giving a nice cold day.

Brock stood there in silence while he continued to absorb and think about what the Pallet trainer just said.

"You know a little support from one of my best friends would really be nice right now," Ash spoke to him looking for any type of response.

"Sorry Ash, this is just something I never expected from you," Brock finally spoke out still not giving a response Ash was hoping to get from him.

"Well what do you expect from me?"

"I'd probably just expect you to not understand the feelings and just try to suppress them," Brock bluntly replied. 'I have a feeling that Ash didn't figure this all out by himself. Its most likely the doing of Dawn.'

Ash started to sulk. 'Do people really think I'm that dense?'

"But the fact that you understand what you're feeling really means that you're not as dense as I thought. Besides, it kinda makes sense," Brock said with a grin.

"What makes sense?"

"You and May of course," The Pewter Gym leader told his friend.

"Why do you think that?" Ash desperately asked, wanting to know why Brock thought that.

"Well, the fact that you two are so similar is one reason why. The way you are with May is much more different than the way you are with all the other people that you've traveled with," Brock replied while noticing Dawn in her sleeping back, eavesdropping.

"You basically molded May into who she is today," Brock said with no doubt in his voice.

Ash had never thought about it like that, "Do you really think so?"

A warm smile started to show on Brock's face, "Of course. When she was just some clueless trainer who had just gotten her first pokemon, you taught her the basics and without you're help she might have just quit and done something else with her life. You've helped her find her passion."

"Wow Brock, I never knew I affected her life so much. And with Dawn coming I'm guessing I can count you in as well?" Ash asked as he noticed Brock starting to shake his head.

"Sorry Ash, but lets just say your actions have shown me what I must do for myself," Brock replied while looking towards Kanto. The Battle Frontier more specifically.

Ash noticed Brock's eyes he didn't understand what he meant but didn't bring it up, "It's not gonna be the same without you, I could never replace you."

"I'm sure if for some reason I decided to become a pokemon doctor and couldn't travel with you, you could probably replace with me with some green haired connoisseur," Brock replied.

"That was oddly specific," Ash commented while he looked at Brock.

"I'm just kidding Ash, I've wanted to become a pokemon breeder my entire life, I'm not about to give that dream up no matter what," Brock proudly said. "But I think that it's time for me to get going."

"What? Aren't you at least gonna say bye to Dawn?" Ash asked as he pointed to the eavesdropping blunette.

"Oh don't worry about her Ash, I'm sure you can tell her everything. It's not like she was eavesdropping," even Pikachu could hear the sarcasm in Brock's voice as he said the last part.

Dawn continued to feign her sleeping state of unconsciousness as Ash didn't understand what was going on. "Besides, if I talked her before I left it wouldn't end pretty."

"Why wouldn't it end pretty?" Ash asked.

"Lets just say that I know her true feelings about that special someone," Brock said as he saw Dawn flinch under her sleeping bag.

"Umm okay," Ash said as he thought about what Brock had said. He then noticed Brock starting to walk over to where Dawn was and spoke up. "Hey Brock, what are you doing?"

"Just gonna say something to Dawn while she sleeps," Brock went into a kneeling position next to Dawn and in a whisper started to speak to her.

"Look Dawn, I know you like Ash and all but don't mess up his chances with May when he sees her," Brock said in a whisper.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Brock," Dawn whispered as she laid lifeless. "And I would never steal May from Ash, but if he breaks his heart then I'll be there to comfort him and make sure that May will have a shaved head the next day."

"Just don't do anything stupid," Brock whispered as he got up from his kneeling and walked towards Ash who was busy talking to Pikachu.

Brock reached into his pocket and pulled out around twenty note cards, "Take these."

Ash started at Brock's outstretched hand that had the note cards in bafflement, "What are these?"

"They're lines to tell May when you see her," Ash took the note cards out of Brock's hand started reading them.

"You're giving me your pick up lines!" Ash was genuinely happy at this.

"There all yours," Brock said with a laugh. "I hopefully won't need them anymore anyway."

"Thanks Brock!" Ash happily said.

Brock looked at Ash as he read all the note cards over and over again, 'You've grown up so much Ash, you were just a new and inexperienced trainer when I had first met you. But look at you now, you've grown up more than I would have ever imagined and for once, you're putting battling as a second priority and following you're heart.'

"No problem."

**End Flashback**

Ash was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice that Johto had come into the horizon.

"Come on Ash, lets go pack our stuff," Ash turned around and saw Dawn grab him by the hand as he lead him through the crowd and into his room.

Ash looked at his hand held in Dawn's and blushed a little. He tried to shake the feeling off as nothing but it wouldn't leave him. He didn't know why, but he liked the feeling and wrote it off as seasickness or maybe even adrenaline as started running with Dawn,

'I'm coming May,' Ash thought as his mind was flooded with thoughts of May, 'I just hope it's not too late.'

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><p><strong>You know this actually went better than I expected. I guess chapter two will always be known as the lost chapter but on the bright side this chapter wasn't to bad, right?<strong>

**Anyway don't forget to review and tell me where I could have done better or just to say if you liked it or not.**


	3. Rumors

**Chapter 3 everyone, I never thought I would get this far, to be honest I had only planned this to be a oneshot but now it's a chapter fic. Think of this fic as May's Crush but with a side of pearlshipping. Nothing is official yet so even I don't know where this fic is going, just enjoy the ride.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon!  
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><p>Ash extended his arms as to stretch them out as the suns rays warmed him up. The smell of the sea was in the air as he and Dawn were standing on the Olivine Port. Pikachu looked around and could vaguely remember the time that he was in Olivine.<p>

"So Ash, when are you gonna call May and ask her where she is?" Dawn naively asked.

"Actually I kinda wanted to surprise her by just showing up out of nowhere. If I call her and ask her where she is she'll probably figure out that I'm looking for her," Ash replied as he noticed Dawn's getting angry.

"So you want us to just travel all around Johto and hope that we find her?" Dawn knew that chances of meeting up with May with no clue as to where she was were very low.

"I know it might sound dumb but I've never really been a person who plans stuff out. But I just know that we'll find her no matter what," Ash replied, determined as ever.

'It's so like you to just rush into things without thinking.' Dawn thought as her anger seemed to disappear due to Ash's response, "I trust you Ash, even though I don't think this is the smartest of ideas, I'll follow you wherever you go."

A heartwarming smile appeared on Ash's face, "Thanks Dawn, and it's not like we're gonna randomly go to a town in Johto."

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"Well when we reach the pokemon center I plan on calling Max and asking him if he knows where May is. He's bound to know where May is... I hope," Ash explained.

"And you said you didn't plan things out," Dawn said in joking tone.

"I guess you're right," Ash replied while rubbed the back of his head. "But can I ask you a question Dawn?"

"Sure, fire away," Dawn responded. 'It's not like I can say no to anything you ask of me Ash.'

"Why did you choose to go with me instead of staying in Sinnoh and training with Zoey for the upcoming Grand Festival?" Ash asked suspiciously as he walked with Dawn. 'As much as i appreciate her coming with me i can't help but feel that shes up to something. I mean she has been known to be crafty like that in the past.'

Dawn's face started to become red with blush 'I can't tell you Ash. At least not yet,and to be honest i don't entirely know myself.'

"Well," she said trying to buy time, "I came for emotional support?" Dawn replied as it sounded most like a question than an answer.

Ash, oblivious to Dawn's blush or stammer in speech just nodded his head in acceptance, "Thanks Dawn, without you here I'd probably go crazy thinking about what I'm gonna say to May. But with you here I know I'll be able to have someone I can count on."

"Pika," Pikachu said in an angry tone.

"And of course you too Pikachu, I'd never forget about you," Pikachu smiled at Ash's response and continued to stay on his shoulder.

'That was close. I can't be caught off guard like that again. I just hope you don't come to me for advice Ash, cause if you do I don't think I'll be able to put my feelings aside to give you the right answer,' Dawn thought to herself silently until Ash's voice brought her back to reality.

"Well we're here," Ash announced as they entered the pokemon center.

Dawn looked around and noticed that pokemon center in Johto is the same as the one in Sinnoh. As they walked up to the Nurse Joy they had to stand behind a girl who was slightly shorter than him

"Thank you for healing my pokemon Nurse Joy," the girl said.

"It's not a problem at all. By the way how is Ampharos?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Oh Sparkle is just fine. After she got her medicine she hasn't shown any sign of her sickness returning," the girl replied.

Ash overheard the two talking and he instantly knew who was talking to Nurse Joy. He tapped on the girls shoulder and started to speak as she turned around, "Excuse me, but you wouldn't happen to be..."

"ASH!" the girl screamed as she gave Ash a hug.

The girl had beautiful chestnut brown hair and had sparkling blue eyes and the casually elegant white and blue dress that not only added to her beauty but also complemented her eyes.

As she rushed over to the Pallet trainer, a hint of anger and jealousy started to envelop his young blunette friend. 'Wow. All this time I thought May was competition. Shes beautiful!' Dawn thought.

"It's nice to see you too Jasmine," Ash said as he started to blush. "It has been too long."

"I'm guessing you two know each other?" Dawn joked trying to hide her jealousy.

Jasmine broke the hug and started to speak, "Know each other? He helped get the medicine to save Sparkle! And it had been too long. My have you grown."

Jasmine started to blush herself as she looked at how much the boy has grown over the years. If it wasn't for the hat and Pikachu she wasn't sure if she would have recognized him.

"Ash helped a person out, how unlike him," Dawn sarcastically said.

"So Ash, what are you doing back in Johto?"

Ash started to blush and Jasmine picked up on it right away. "So it's a girl. Who's the lucky lady."

"Well it's someone I used to travel with. You probably don't know but her name is May Maple," Ash replied as a suspicious smile appeared on Jasmine's face.

"May Maple!" Jasmine replied shocked.

'Maybe she knows where May is. I really hope she does. That would be so much help,' Ash hoped. "I'm guessing you've heard about her?" Ash responded.

Jasmine pulled out a magazine from her bag revealing a picture of May showing off a newly acquired ribbon. "How could I have not heard of The Princess of Hoenn."

"I never knew she was so famous," Ash replied taking the magazine and looking at it.

"Yeah she's an amazing coordinator. I'm surprised that you even know her let alone traveled with her," Jasmine responded.

"Tell me about it," Dawn spoke, "we had a really great match in the..."

"Wallace Cup," Jasmine said finishing Dawn's sentence. "Don't think I don't know who you are Dawn Berlitz."

'Wow, beautiful and smart. I really like her. She would be really nice for Brock.'It was now Dawn's turn to start blushing, "Wow you've officially become my favorite person in Johto," Dawn said.

"So you're trying to win the heart of May, am I correct?" Jasmine asked.

"Yeah, no sense in trying to hide it from you," Ash replied as he looked up from the magazine.

"Well if I were you I'd hurry," Jasmine said.

"Why do you say that?" Ash asked.

"Here. Let me show you." As Jasmine took the magazine from Ash's hand, she started to flip through the pages looking for something until she finally found it.

"Look for yourself," Jasmine frowned as she showed him what was in the page.

Ash's morale dropped as he saw what was on that page. It was a young woman around his age with light brown pigtails and eyes with a beautiful bluish shade that glistened throughout the page but that wasn't what dropped down his confidence

It was what her beautiful blue orbs had her eyes set on. It was a similar aged young man with grassy green hair and a purple short-sleeved button up shirt. On the title it said, _Potential Couple or already dating? What do you think?_

"Oh, well at least she looks happy," Ash said trying to make the best of the situation. "But Jasmine, by any chance would you happen to know where May is or where she was?" Ash asked.

"You're in luck Ash," Jasmine said as she pulled out a map of Johto from her bag, "she's actually competing in Ecruteak City right now."

"Are you serious!" Jasmine nodded her head. "Thanks Jasmine, we're gonna leave right now."

"No problem Ash, good luck," Jasmine said as Ash, Dawn, and Pikachu started to run off.

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><p><strong>I hope you liked this chapter, and the next chapter will be even better. Don't forget to review at the end and give me your opinion on this fic.<strong>


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